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Microsoft Office Formats Not Really Being Opened

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the keep-an-eye-on-the-birdie dept.

Contradicting this earlier article claiming otherwise, smith_barney writes "Contrary to reports, Microsoft is not opening up its proprietary Office XML schemas. Essentially, the state of Massachusetts is simply repositioning what it considers an 'open format.' According to a report in BetaNews, Microsoft told the state it would ease licensing restrictions, but only for 'end users who merely open and read government documents.' This hasn't stopped Microsoft from tooting its horn, but Jupiter Research senior analyst Joe Wilcox says, 'Buzz about so-called open formats is little more than PR FUD.'"

6 of 310 comments (clear)

  1. no surprise there, then- by hplasm · · Score: -1, Redundant

    eh?

    --
    ...and he grinned, like a fox eating shit out of a wire brush.
  2. Umm.... by NEOtaku17 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Microsoft not opening their formats!? Shocker!!! Is anyone in the least bit surprized by this?

    --
    Creative Demolition
  3. Or... by carlmenezes · · Score: -1, Redundant

    Microsoft office XML schemas as closed as ever.

    Nothing for you to see here. Please move along.

    --
    Find a job you like and you will never work a day in your life.
  4. open format by bogado · · Score: -1, Redundant

    Open to viruses or open as in fill with holles. Seriously, who would imagine a MS office open standard. I could even bet that their XML is not even a valid XML, but some sort of MSXML with some incredible advantages over the normal XML.

    --
    []'s Victor Bogado da Silva Lins

    ^[:wq

  5. failz0r5?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    = 1400 NetBSD Guests. Some people peop[le's faces is they started to bunch of retarded Users. BSD/OS see... The number

  6. Did I read this right? by kkovach · · Score: -1, Redundant

    "it is our expectation that the next iteration of the Open Format standard will include some Microsoft proprietary formats." ... or am I missing something? The open format standard will include proprietary formats?

    - Kevin

    --
    The less confident you are, the more serious you have to act.